Auf Der Maur - Auf Der Maur

Auf Der Maur were a band that I had not heard of before last week. It was not till I read a review by one-true-ben that they came to my attention. I was interested enough to investigate their web site and was very impressed and I downloaded the four available video's from there and have been listening to them for days while I have waited for the album to arrive.

I am writing this as I listen to it for the first time because I wanted ...
...'Le premier album de Mellisa Auf Der Maur en collaberation avec les meilleurs musiciens du rock nord-american'

The album arrived from CDWoW via airmail from Hong Kong, actually faster than the royal mail would have delivered it from next door, but that is beside the point. I am trying to give a view of the international qualities of this album.

Never heard of Melissa Auf der Maur?

Well she was the bassist ... more

Auf Der Maur were a band that I had not heard of before last week. It was not till I read a review by one-true-ben that they came to my attention. I was interested enough to investigate their web site and was very impressed and I downloaded the four available video's from there and have been listening to them for days while I have waited for the album to arrive.

I am writing this as I listen to it for the first time because I wanted write it now to get my first impressions. I haven't even opened it yet.

It says on the cellophane wrapper,

'Le premier album de Mellisa Auf Der Maur en collaberation avec les meilleurs musiciens du rock nord-american'

The album arrived from CDWoW via airmail from Hong Kong, actually faster than the royal mail would have delivered it from next door, but that is beside the point. I am trying to give a view of the international qualities of this album.

Never heard of Melissa Auf der Maur?

Well she was the bassist on some albums for two of the biggest rock bands of the nineties, namely Hole, for five years and the Smashing Pumpkins on their last album and their farewell tour, now she has come into her own with this, her debut solo album.
She is a very attractive lady with a slightly mystic look about her. Musically she has one of those voices that pulls you into the melody. While not being one of those voices with a great vocal range she does what she does very well indeed.

Who are Auf Der Maur?

Essentially, this is Melissa Auf der Maur's debut solo album. With the collaboration of many high profile rock musicians - Brandt Bjork (Kyuss), Chris Goss (Masters of Reality/Queens of the Stone Age), Erik Erlandson (Hole), Josh Homme and Nick Oliveri (QOTSA), and James Iha (Smashing Pumpkins) to name but a few.
Those Queens Of the Stone Age boys get everywhere.

The album.

Overall it could be described as guitar, drum and bass led rock with stunning female vocals along the lines of bands like Garbage or Elastica. That would not be entirely fair though as this album certainly has its own identity.

Lyrically this album is a bit ambiguous; most of the songs being about Love or unrequited love and in the case of Taste Me all too blatant references to oral sex, although on my version of the album this song is sung in French. It is quite hard to break this album down into individual songs. Although they all have their own identity they meld very well together to provide a continuous listening experience with the notable exception of Overpower Thee which is a piano and vocal affair that is the only weak point in the consistently good album.

Starting with Lightning Is My girl the album winds up with a guitar assault leading the way to lyrics with an almost drawling sound that only add to the atmosphere of the song.
After that comes a more melodic song. This was released as a single and had some chart success. Following the waves whose strong point is certainly the very catchy chorus.

I followed the waves to you,
I counted to see it through
But my heart lies to you
You'll never have me true.

More banging drums dominate the start of Real A Lie and Melissa's melodic tones work wonders to bring this to life and then bring it to a soft close.
Head Unbound is a much softer song with the vocals taking centre stage this time, a slower song that should be boring but for some reason isn't.
Taste you, another single (French version) is one of my favourite tracks (and not because it is about oral sex.) Quiet guitar, rhythmic bass line and a catchy chorus all add up to make this a very likeable song.
I'll Be Anything You Want, the banging guitar sound is back with this one and Melissa's Canadian accent is much more apparent in the vocals.
Beast of Honour has a slightly jumpy quality about it making it a bit difficult to listen too in places but that by no means makes it a bad song,
My Foggy Notion starts off with almost spoken lyrics but then breaks into another very catchy chorus, one of the best I think, backed up as it is with a great bass sound.

Why must I find that falling down
Brings my hopes high, oh so high
Why must you cry when I fall down?
It helps me with the truth inside

Would if I Could has a more traditional guitar sound and is in some ways the most mainstream song on the album. It is a similar style to several female vocal led bands, not that the song suffers for that at all.
Overpower Thee, I have discussed earlier and for me does not fit in with the rest of the album at all and I think it is the weak point.
We are straight back on form with Skin Reciever though, Drum and bass declare war on your ears and some of the loudest vocals on the album are really in your face in this fast paced song.
I Need I want I Will brings the album to a close. Starting quietly and building slowly, but never quite getting to the level your ears expect, making you listen in expectation that never comes to fruition. Possibly the perfect way to finish the album, leaving you wanting more, much more.

So that is that, I found this album to be a great listen and although lyrically it is not the greatest, it is one of those albums where that really doesn't matter too much. Melody, quality of musicianship and vocals are enough to drag you in and keep your attention throughout.
Would I recommend it? Yes wholeheartedly, I think it is one of the best album I have heard for a very long time.

My version is the import version bought from CDWOW for £5.99 and postage free. (Not bad for first class airmail from Hong Kong.) It has a different cover, (mine featuring a shadowed picture of Melissa playing base,) to the one pictured above and I think the track order is slightly different.
The album is produced by Chris Goss and Melissa Auf Der Maur and is available on Capitol records.

If you have found this interesting I would suggest a visit to http://www.aufdermaur.com/video.html where you can see and hear four tracks from this album. That is what I did and didn't regret it one bit.

 

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